1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an IC socket. Particularly, the present invention relates to an IC socket, in which contacts to be brought into press contact with leads of an IC package are aligned by partition walls formed along an IC platform. More particularly, the invention relates to a structure for correctly positioning an IC package in such an IC socket as just mentioned.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 6, a conventional IC socket includes a socket body 1, an IC platform 2 disposed on the socket body 1 and having a rib 3 projecting from an upper surface thereof, a lead support seat 4 disposed outwardly of the rib 3, and partition walls 5 formed outwardly of the lead support seat 4, whereby contacts 7 are disposed in slits 6 formed between adjacent partition walls 5 so as to be orderly arranged in array. On the other hand, the foremost end portions of leads 9 projecting from side surfaces of the IC package body 10 and bent into two steps like a configuration of the leg of a crab are placed on the lead support seat 4, and the contacts 7 are displaced forwardly and downwardly so as to be brought into press contact with the upper surfaces of the leads 9.
In general, since the leads 9 of the IC package are formed by pressing, the dimension of the outer configuration of each of the leads 9 is highly accurate. On the other hand, however, since the IC package body 10 containing an IC chip is molded of resin material, the dimension of its outer configuration is often irregular compared with that of each lead 9. Among all, the irregularity of the angle of inclination of the side surface of the IC package body 10 against which the rib 3 is abutted is great. For this reason, in case the IC package 8 is loaded on the IC platform 2 while restricting the side surface of the IC package body 10 as experience in the prior art, the IC package body 10 is overly floated because of the irregularity in dimension of the outer configuration of the IC package body 10, and eventually the leads 4 are caused to float from the lead support seat 4 and a gap is formed between the rib 3 and the side surface of the IC package body 10 to cause a side slip of the IC package 8. As a consequence, there occur such problems that the positioning of the IC package 8 becomes poor and therefore, the contacts 7 and the leads 9 are not correctly positioned.